Konrad Knudsen

Konrad Knudsen was born in Drammen. His father was also a painter. He finished accounting training in 1904 and worked as a painter in Drammen until 1908 when he travelled to the United States. In the US he worked as a painter, lumberjack and construction worker.^[1] He became editor of the socialist publication Social-Demokraten. In 1920, Knudsen was one of the leading figures in the Scandinavian Socialist Federation that sided with the Communist International.^[2]

Knudsen returned to Drammen in 1920 and worked as a painter foreman until 1923, before he then got a job as an editor on Fremtiden. From 1921, Knudsen held various positions within the Labour Party, and was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in October 1936, a position he held for the next 21 years, including in the 1940–1945 government in exile.^[1]

Knudsen married Hilda and they had two children, daughter Hjørdis and son Borgar.^[3] 

In June 1935, Knudsen invited Trotsky and Natalia Sedova to live at his house. For over a year, Trotsky and his wife stayed at Knudsen's house at Norderhov outside Hønefoss, not far from Oslo. While living at Knudsen's house, Trotsky wrote The Revolution Betrayed.^[3] 

After a break-in at Knudsen's house by the Norwegian fascist Nasjonal Samling militia led by Vidkun Quisling, on 5 August 1936 and the Trial of the Sixteen Moscow show trial later that month, Norwegian Minister of Justice Trygve Lie, ordered on 2 September 1936 that Trotsky and Sedova be sent to a farm at Hurum, where Trotsky and Sedova were placed under house arrest.^[1]

During World War II, during the Nazi invasion of Norway from April to June 1940, Knudsen fled to the USA. The Norwegian government moved to exile in London, United Kingdom. Knudsen traveled first to Sweden, to Canada and then the US, working for the Norwegian government in exile information service, and with the office of the Norwegian Auditor General.^[1]

From 1949 to 1957, Knudsen served as Auditor General.^[1]